STAR BATSMAN HINTS AT CUTTING DOWN INTERNATIONAL WORKLOAD
B de Villiers left South Africa’s tour of England saying he would decide his cricket future in August. One of the outstanding batsmen of his generation, the 33-year-old headed home after captaining the Proteas in a 19run defeat by England in Cardiff on Sunday that saw them beaten 2-1 in a three-match Twenty20 series.
They previously lost a ODI series to England by the same scoreline and then suffered a disappointing first-round exit at the Champions Trophy.
But a Test series against England is the centrepiece of a four-month tour.
However, it has long been planned that de Villiers would miss the four-Test campaign to take a break from the strain of being one of the world’s leading players in all three international formats, as well as a man in demand at lucrative Twenty20 franchise events around the world.
Bangladesh are due to tour South Africa in September and de Villiers said he expected to know by then what his international workload would entail.
“I am going to meet with CSA (Cricket South Africa) in August, and that will decide my (international) future,” de Villiers said.
“We will see what works for both parties,” added the gifted shotmaker. “We are not going to pick and choose games, but we are going to make a final decision about what happens for the next few years.”
Asked what he would do for the next couple of months, de Villiers said: “I am going to spend a bit of time off at home with the family, I’m going to welcome my new youngster into the world, and obviously look to stay fit.
“I want to make sure I am ready for September, when Bangladesh come.”
For all his success at Test level, de Villiers’s burning ambition is to help South Africa win a maiden World Cup title.
The next World Cup takes place in England in two years’ time and de Villiers, in charge for a heartbreaking 2015 semifinal loss to co-hosts New Zealand in Auckland, said: “It’s my main dream to win a World Cup for South Africa, or to be part of it in one way or another”
But de Villiers, whose stunning 31-ball century against the West Indies at Johannesburg in 2015 remains the fastest ODI hundred, added: “I don’t even think it’s in my hands, what is going to happen.
“I will wait until the final decision on the coach and things like that are made.” Heino Kuhn’s two centuries on the South Africa A tour of England earned him a call-up on Monday to the senior squad for their upcoming four Test series with England. The 33-year-old batsman — who made centuries against Hampshire and then the England Lions — is one of three uncapped players along with Aiden Markram and Andile Phehlukwayo to be named at Test level. “Heino Kuhn has shown outstanding form for South Africa A on their recent tour of England which included a double century in the four-day match against Hampshire and a further century against the England Lions,” CSA selection convener Linda Zondi said. The team will be captained by Faf du Plessis and there is plenty of batting experience with Hashim Amla, JP Duminy and Quinton de Kock as well as on the bowling side with Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander. Kuhn has some international experience having played Twenty20 cricket for his country. Phehlukwayo, 21, has played not only T20 for ‘The Proteas’ — including the just concluded 2-1 series loss to England — but also appeared in the one day series in England and the disappointing Champions Trophy campaign which saw the world ranked No. 1 side fail to reach the semi-finals.
Squad
Faf du Plessis (capt), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Theunis de Bruyn, Quinton de Kock, JP Duminy, Dean Elgar, Heino Kuhn, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Morne Morkel, Chris Morris, Duanne Olivier, Andile Phehlukwayo, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada.
Test schedule (venue, date it begins)
1st Test at Lord’s — July 6th 2nd Test at Trent Bridge, Nottingham — July 14th 3rd Test at The Oval — July 27th 4th Test at Old Trafford, Manchester — Aug 4